50years Old And Want To Have A New Life For The Family

[thalassa2006]

hi

50 years next month and two children 2 and 4 years feel that thailand get me scrared and want more for my children

where could i live to give a better chance for my children

i am a chef can work another 10 years but mainly i worry about my children love to stay in this part of the world Asia but also who will have me too witch country will be better for our family

thanks for your help

[paulh1978]

where do you come from? are you thai

[thalassa2006]

where do you come from? are you thai

hi thanks for your response i am from Europ with a Thai Wife..

[Boater]

what part of Euro you from?

[JohnGotti]

What is it about Thailand that worries you?

[goodheartman]

everything should woorry a parent about raising kids here.

bad skooling!

sexxed up atmosphere!

little job oppurtunity if you look bad!

[thaihome]

What makes you think another Asian country will be better? Suggest you take a little trip to China, might give you a better perspective of what you have here in Thailand...

TH

[nonthaburial]

What makes you think another Asian country will be better? Suggest you take a little trip to China, might give you a better perspective of what you have here in Thailand...

TH

Dont and cannot accept your comparison, I first visited China in 1980, am now based in Kunming. Fantastic modern clean cities throughout China now and very easy to live as a westerner., totally opposite to the 80's.just to prove my point, I lived in HK 20 years, Manila for 7 and Bangkok for 7 and where would I rather be now CHINA

[coventry]

everything should woorry a parent about raising kids here.

bad skooling!

sexxed up atmosphere!

little job oppurtunity if you look bad!

F'kin hel_l you only stopped at 3 ?

[BigSnake]

If you have the resources(money and connections) you can find some decent school here in Thailand for your kids, cost of living here isn't so bad, many modern shopping centers, good transport to and from work and school, my thought if your wife is Thai and you enjoy your life style here, stay here with a little extra work the children adjust and do just fine. Best of Luck what ever you decide to do.

[Neeranam]

everything should woorry a parent about raising kids here.

bad skooling!

sexxed up atmosphere!

little job oppurtunity if you look bad!

I disagree.

I'd worry if raising them where I come from.

[JohnGotti]

entering many urban usa public school resembles going through an airport checkpoint.

[thaihome]

What makes you think another Asian country will be better? Suggest you take a little trip to China, might give you a better perspective of what you have here in Thailand...

TH

Dont and cannot accept your comparison, I first visited China in 1980, am now based in Kunming. Fantastic modern clean cities throughout China now and very easy to live as a westerner., totally opposite to the 80's.just to prove my point, I lived in HK 20 years, Manila for 7 and Bangkok for 7 and where would I rather be now CHINA

Of course, when talking about these "modern clean cities", you are excluding the spit covered sidewalks?

Seriously, everyone has different criteria for where they like to live. From what the OP has said so far and how he thinks Thailand is bad place for his family, I was merely suggesting he take them to China for a few weeks and see what they say.

I think the OP has some issues that he seems to have transferred to his feeling about living in Thailand.

I lived in China for 2 years in early 2000’s. It was ok, but I prefer Thailand, probably because I am married to a Thai. Are you perhaps married to a Chinese?

TH

[greenwood01]

Stay here, you've mastered engrish to a perfection.

Or open a corner store in the US

[think_too_mut]

50 years next month and two children 2 and 4 years feel that thailand get me scrared and want more for my children

where could i live to give a better chance for my children

i am a chef can work another 10 years but mainly i worry about my children love to stay in this part of the world Asia but also who will have me too witch country will be better for our family

Australia has a chronic need for chefs. To immigration authorities, a chef is as valuable as MBA or software developer.

Your age (50) may do you some disservice but worth checking. If you have enough points, it is almost certain you will get skill based permanent residency visa and can move over.

See this link.

[tim armstrong]

50 years next month and two children 2 and 4 years feel that thailand get me scrared and want more for my children

where could i live to give a better chance for my children

i am a chef can work another 10 years but mainly i worry about my children love to stay in this part of the world Asia but also who will have me too witch country will be better for our family

Australia has a chronic need for chefs. To immigration authorities, a chef is as valuable as MBA or software developer.

Your age (50) may do you some disservice but worth checking. If you have enough points, it is almost certain you will get skill based permanent residency visa and can move over.

See this link.

Yes indeed. Not too mention much better education and schooling for your kids than Thailand or the US. Australia is also very multicultural with many second or third generation Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese and other Asian cultures. Apart from all that the air is clean, things work, and you can speak your mind. On the downside its very regulated, and has high taxes. But if you find the right coastal area with a good climate ( Byron Bay) you will be very happy.

[goodheartman]

if u wabt yr kids to grow up w cannot attutyde los is for you.....lol.

took 3 salespeople, one which look like a manager to figure out radio i wanted to buy was on shelf below ,im sure they were ready to say cannot buy!

go to mcdonalds cannot buy cup of ice, have to pay full price then they will not put soda inside was best i could get them to go

i can imagine what its like dealing w professional peeple here!

[jcon]

50 years next month and two children 2 and 4 years feel that thailand get me scrared and want more for my children

where could i live to give a better chance for my children

i am a chef can work another 10 years but mainly i worry about my children love to stay in this part of the world Asia but also who will have me too witch country will be better for our family

Australia has a chronic need for chefs. To immigration authorities, a chef is as valuable as MBA or software developer.

Your age (50) may do you some disservice but worth checking. If you have enough points, it is almost certain you will get skill based permanent residency visa and can move over.

See this link.

I like this response. Helpful. Wouldn't it be nice if one could get more responses like this on TV? Oh, let me wake up now...

To the OP: I'm 31, no kids, no wife... and I've already decided (years ago) that I would never raise my children in Thailand if I had any.

I have my reasons, as the OP has his concerns. Other TVers may think that Thailand is the pinnacle of higher education - but that is not the point. The point is that the OP asked a question, raising some valid concern for HIS family/kids... and good advice like that given by think_too_mut above is appropriate.

To the OP: Depending on which European country you are from, you could consider going home - factor in health care, schooling, etc... and this should help in your decision.

Thailand is not exactly an educational hub, where geniuses are born and bred - it doesn't take your average TV punter to realize this FACT. Yeah, I said it, FACT.

If people want to sacrifice their own standard of living to live in Thailand, for whatever reason, fine. But there is NO justification for sacrificing the future of your children. NONE.

Now this forum will sure produce many of this humdinger of a response: "Well, I've been working since I was 6 years old, and I make 500K USD on an oil rig now, so I don't see the need for some fancy edumacation at Harvard or what not, with that fancy shmancy 250K degree that's just a piece of paper... blah blah blah ad nauseum"

I put my money on the Harvard grad any time, any day, any century, any universe. Great institutions of higher learning remain strong for a reason, unless it's a conspiracy (enter Plarex...) .... I still put my money on an Ivy League grad over an O&G rigger. No insults intended, the example was just to make a point.

OP, you're right to have to concerns you have... Go with your gut feeling, I think you already have the answer.

jcon

[Rathai]

Another option is to stay in Thailand and "Home school" your kids. Home schooling can be better than public school as your kids would be more focused on learning instead of other society related distractions. I read of a father in the US who home schooled his 2 daughters and they were ready for the local community college at ages 14 and 12. You can use older revision textbooks and supplement school courses with the internet for educational material--saving money and time.

[Milo]

Another option is to stay in Thailand and "Home school" your kids. Home schooling can be better than public school as your kids would be more focused on learning instead of other society related distractions. I read of a father in the US who home schooled his 2 daughters and they were ready for the local community college at ages 14 and 12. You can use older revision textbooks and supplement school courses with the internet for educational material--saving money and time.

Agreed on the home schooling;

Your 4y/o going to have to learn quite a high standard of Thai very quickly indeed, though as kids do will probably pick it up exceptionally quickly. Had foreign exchange kids at the school I used to work at, even at 16-18y/o, their progress was unbelievable; hanging around the English Dept Staffroom first couple of months like a fish out of water, soon integrated though, would see them in the dining hall etc chatting away like a native!

They'll always be Farang no matter how they've grown up, the Thai education system pretty poor, and I'm being polite. With these two factors in mind, best giving them the best possible education for a leg-up, best of all leave it 15yrs for their sakes?

Sorry to be so negative, but having spent four years working within the education system here at a large (3,900 pupil) government school, considered the best in Udorn Thani I was less than enamoured. Helped one of the Thai Teachers through his Masters Degree, walk in the park, equivalent to the 'O' level English exam I took when 16. I'm certain there must be far better schools/universities out there, especially in the likes of Bkk, but never forget the whole system is based at a far lower level than our own. Western degrees begin at 1.1, 1.2, 2.1 and so on, was amazed to learn the highest one can possibly attain in Thailand a 3.5? Stand to be corrected on this of course.

Aside from that, wishing you the very best, can fully understand (though no family) your desire to move here, I've never regretted it for a moment!

[MJP]

hi

50 years next month and two children 2 and 4 years feel that thailand get me scrared and want more for my children

where could i live to give a better chance for my children

i am a chef can work another 10 years but mainly i worry about my children love to stay in this part of the world Asia but also who will have me too witch country will be better for our family

thanks for your help

Yikes!!!

That's a tough one.

I'm guessing you're from the UK?

I shouldn't really have replied as I just don't know. Guess it depends on your current/future circumstances.

I'd aire on the very cautious side.

[mrdome]

I agree w. Milo, the biggest threat to the kids will be the Thai education system and some of the values they will be exposed to (don't question, don't think, don't analyze, outside appearance is everything, no thirst for learning, pride in a job well done and copy, copy, copy). But maybe the OP can afford a private school?

Otherwise Thailand would definitely offer less to the kids. If you get the right job and can afford a first rate education and the country is relatively safe then you can live almost anywhere in the region.

It sounds to me though that thalassa2006 feels there is something lacking in the country where he lives at the moment. Would be helpful to hear more about that side of the story.

[Kaojai]

Another option is to stay in Thailand and "Home school" your kids. Home schooling can be better than public school as your kids would be more focused on learning instead of other society related distractions. I read of a father in the US who home schooled his 2 daughters and they were ready for the local community college at ages 14 and 12. You can use older revision textbooks and supplement school courses with the internet for educational material--saving money and time.

While there have certainly been some remarkable success stories associated with home schooling, in most cases the results will depend on the skills, resources, experiences of the parent as well as the time he/she has available. The potential for mediocre results, as well as a total unmitigated disaster, are great. If things don't go well, schools in the US might allow the child to reintegrate into the system. I would guess most schools in this part of the world are less flexible. What would you do if you decided to stop after a few years and the work you did with your child is not accepted at any decent school?

Even if things go reasonably well at the primary school level and maybe the secondary school level at home, what colleges or universities or even trade schools at the tertiary level in this part of the world will accept home schooling for admissions? How many parents are qualified to provide support in preparing for entrance examinations? Universities in the western world, when considering admissions, also look to verifiable extra-curricular activities and social service. How would these experiences be provided outside the school system?

While O'Levels are dead easy, if that's a path you choose to follow, they do still adhere to very specific syllabi and are not open to anyone who wants to "give it a try." What one can learn at the secondary level in mathematics, for example, can vary a great deal. If what you study doesn't include everything in a certain syllabus, the related exam will be a disaster. And generally you’ll need a couple of science subjects. Feel up to teaching physics and chemistry?

Then, assuming you haven't lost your mind, there's A-Levels or Advanced Placement courses. Certainly some dedicated, motivated people have prepared for them at home, but I would guess that most people who decide they'll pick up all they need from "A-Level Physics Made Simple," etc find the going very frustrating and go up in flames.

Your child also loses some of the valuable socializing skills (along with the bad) gained from interacting with other children & adults in classes and school related activities. If he/she spends all his/her time at home with you, the Lord and Master of all he surveys, how will he cope when he leaves the cocoon and needs to compete with all those who have learned how to deal with all sorts of people and situations while at school?

I'm not sure what's on offer in Thai government schools at the secondary level, but generally classes are geared toward entrance exams ( yes, the horrible teaching-to-the-test, but that's life in the real world) and offer laboratory experiences impossible to duplicate in a home setting.

I’m sure we’ve read about someone who built his own airplane or 3 bedroom house or computer that turned out to be superior to those available in the market, but how many of you feel up to trying that? Providing an adequate education may seem pretty easy and the schools (in Thailand, UK, US, etc) can seem pretty hopeless, but being sincere and motivated doesn’t ensure your success and if you waste 3 or 4 years of a child's life, that's not easily made up.

There's a good reason why modern royalty, politicians and celebrities prefer to have their children educated in a school setting rather than at home with a series of highly qualified tutors. A lot of what one learns during education is not contained solely in text books.

Edited May 12, 2009 by Kaojai

[Beachbunny]

entering many urban usa public school resembles going through an airport checkpoint.

Key word here is "urban" meaning IN the city....such as Detroit.....Los Angeles...........NYC.....NOT THE NORM.